Gelcoat repair on deck surface with grip finish

[pmorris]

I've had to do a repair on my grp side deck, about 6 inches in diameter. The fibreglassing has been done, just leaving it to be gel coated. But where it is ,the deck has moulded into it, a rough grip surface.
I have the clear gelcoat, pigment, catalyst and styrene in wax.

Any advice on how to get a matching finish, would be much appreciated. It has been done before with quite good results, but that was before I owned the boat.

Thanks

 

[davidpbo]

Some replies I had to a similar question I posted here . I have not done anything yet and am tempted to make a pad with a smooth finish to cover the area I need to repair as I think something completely different might look better than an attempted match.

 

[oldsaltoz]

I'm with David on this one, replacing old with new gel coat is a problem because even if the match is perfect when done, it will fade at a different rate as time passes.

Perhaps a good spot for a deck prism or other flush item.

Avagoodweekend......

 

[wotayottie]

I was told that you could make a small mould of the surface finish with plasticene.

 

[PCUK]

You could probably get the proper stuff to make the mould at a model or craft shop!

 

[alan006]

Another way of blending in the repair is to build the gel coat filler slightly proud and then using a dremmel and a very fine bit you can replicate the pattern. I've just used this system on a small repair and as long as you are carefull and have a steady hand it looks ok.
Good luck.

 

[paul]

Plasticine (if that's how you spell it!) is used by professional boatbuilders to repair moulded deck areas. Take an imprint from a similar area, mask off any nearby areas on unpatterned gelcoat and piant the gel in to the mould. Pay particular attention to the hight/level of the plasticine mould as you press it down. Too little or too much pressure will leave you with a perfect pattern that is either proud or recessed. Make sure you've cleaned the surrounding area and wiped it with acetone. Add a drop of wax in styrene to the gel coat. Leave for two days to go off and then rub the area with wire wool to take the sheen off the new gel and help belnd it in. If the new repair colour stands out after you could try thiining some gel coat and rubbing it in to the surrounding area to help feather the colour in and help reduce the contrast between new and old gel coat.
Paul